It crept rapidly out into the upper hall, and then, as she recovered the use of her voice and began to scream, the animated cape abandoned its creeping for a quicker gait--"a weird, heaving flop," she defined it.
The Thing then decided upon a third style of locomotion, evidently, for when Sam and Penrod reached the front hall, a few steps in advance of Mr.and Mrs.Schofield, it was rolling grandly down the stairs.
Mr.Schofield had only a hurried glimpse of it as it reached the bottom, close by the front door.
"Grab that thing!" he shouted, dashing forward.

"Stop it! Hit it!" It was at this moment that Sam Williams displayed the presence of mind that was his most eminent characteristic.

Sam's wonderful instinct for the right action almost never failed him in a crisis, and it did not fail him now.

Leaping to the door, at the very instant when the rolling cape touched it, Sam flung the door open--and the cape rolled on.

With incredible rapidity and intelligence, it rolled, indeed, out into the night.
Penrod jumped after it, and the next second reappeared in the doorway holding the cape.